


Sentiment

by pearlsong



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, anyways can you tell i have no idea what to tag this as?, even if temari refuses to acknowledge it, gaara knows what tf is going on, kankuro is the emotional lynchpin of the sand sibs fight me, so you tell them to not die instead, tfw you don't know how to tell someone you love them before leaving for war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 23:03:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15181298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pearlsong/pseuds/pearlsong
Summary: Temari wasn't a sentimental kind of woman, until she was.





	Sentiment

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I wrote two lil fics a few months ago, and I decided to clean them up and post them here. I'm still working on Levels and P&P, but it's slow going since I've been so busy lately. I hope these tide you over!

The first time Temari and Shikamaru ever hugged was right after the Great War had been won.

Sense would have dictated that hugging before the battle had taken place would’ve been a good idea too, but really, all they had managed to do was awkwardly clap each other on the shoulder, saying “Don’t die” to one another before heading out to the battlefield. It was par the course for their relationship, or lack thereof.

When Temari woke up from the genjutsu, Shikamaru wasn’t the first thing on her mind, and neither were her broken ribs and bruises: her thoughts were centered immediately on her brothers and how she needed to find them. She scrambled to get moving, not even knowing what direction to head in, but desperate to start somewhere.

“Temari!” a choked voice called out. To her right came Gaara and Kankuro, floating toward on a bit of sand. Gaara was being supported by Kankuro, who’s makeup was running due to tears. Temari took off running in their direction, and when they landed, she ran into their open arms. Kankuro’s tears became sobs; he buried his face against her right shoulder, smearing his makeup and tears against her cheek. Gaara stood against her left, leaning against her with an arm wrapped tightly around her back. “It’s okay, we’re okay,” he said over and over.

She wanted to cry too, but she wouldn’t let herself. That would come later when she had a moment alone. “Thank God,” was all Temari was able to croak out.

They stood like that until Kankuro’s cries turned into sniffles; Temari took a step back to get a good look at them both. They both looked like hell, but were alive and not gravely injured. That’s all she could ask for.

Two of the people she loved more than herself were okay, and she was okay, and that meant things were Okay. Temari almost breathed a sigh of relief when a thought struck her like a thunderbolt.

“Shikamaru” she blurted out before she could stop herself. Kankuro looked at her like she had grown a second head, but Gaara nodded, “I know his general location. I can take you there.”

Off they went, a few clicks to the south of where she had been. Gaara dropped her off at the edge of the battlefield, where get could see a mass of shinobi gathered in celebration. “We have to go meet with the other Kage. We will be back,” Gaara said before he and Kankuro headed out. Kankuro hesitated, but called out, “Good luck!” as they floated away.

She waved, then took off running, looking for any sign of Shikamaru. It was a mistake because her chest immediately started feeling like it was on fire and someone was attempting to put out the flames by stabbing them. Temari was so tired and in so much pain. If it hadn’t been for pure adrenaline, as well as a single, driving thought of finding Shikamaru, she would’ve passed out right there. But, she was too busy for anything like ‘pain’ or ‘exhaustion’ to slow her down.

So she went, running with whatever she had left inside of her, trying to find him. What felt like an hour passed, and before she knew it, Temari felt the beginnings of despair clawing it’s way inside her. She had ran the entire length of the battlefield and hadn’t seen him yet. What if he was dead? What if the last thing she ever told him was ‘don’t die’? That was so stupid, she should have told him to be careful, that she would be thinking about him the entire time (which she did, almost to the point of distraction), that she really cared about him, and hoped to see him when it was all over.

Like a light beaming down from the heavens, a crowd of people dispersed, and there he was, standing with Ino and Choji. He looked like he had aged ten years, but he was in one piece.

Temari couldn’t run anymore. “Shika-” she tried calling out to him, but she was so out if breath, she couldn’t manage it. Ino noticed her, and elbowed Shikamaru hard. When he turned to scowl at her, she pointed in Temari’s direction, who was bent over trying, and failing, to catch her breath.

He stared for a moment before jogging over to her; Temari made herself walk towards him, exhaustion be damned.

At the exact same moment, they both opened their arms and embraced each other.

He held her tightly, too tightly. She hissed in pain, and he jumped back like he was shocked, “Are you okay? What’s wrong??”

“It’s okay, just my ribs. Be a little more gentle.”

He nodded, but took a moment to silently look her over. Temari figured she looked as bad as he did. His expression went soft; he reached up and gently wiped Kankuro’s makeup off of her cheek, before pulling her back into another hug.

A powerful urge to tell him ‘I love you’ was so strong, it brought tears to her eyes. _I love you, I love you, I’m so glad you made it alive out, I would be lost without you_ , she thought to herself.

Instead of saying all that, she whispered, “About your dad–”

“It’s alright,” he cut her off. It wasn’t alright. No amount of his dodging would change that, but Temari let it go. A conversation for another time. She merely pulled him closer, and rested her head against him. They stayed like that for a long time before she got the presence of mind to say something else.

“I’m glad you didn’t die,” she spoke into his shoulder.

He half-chuckled, his chest shaking, “Had some close calls.”

She leaned her entire body against him, to the point he was the only thing keeping her upright. She was so tired and he was so warm, so alive, so comfortable; Temari felt like she could stay there forever. Her vision started to get hazy.

“Temari?”

“I’m okay,” her words were slurring, “Just tired.”

With that, she was out. She didn’t get to hear him call her name, then for a medic, voice wrought with panic.

* * *

 

When she came to, Temari found herself in a tent on a bed roll. She sat upright too fast, causing her head to swim. “Woah, easy,” Kankuro put his hands on her shoulders and tried to ease her back down.

She slapped his hands away, getting settled into a sitting position, while she started bombarding him with questions, “Where am I? How long have I been out? I thought you were with Gaara? Where is Shikamaru??”

Kankuro raised his hands in defense, “You’re in a medical tent. Apparently, you passed out and had to be carried here.”

Temari wanted to die from embarrassment. She laid back down wishing for death to come take her.

Kankuro continued, “You’ve been out better part of a day–”

“A DAY?”

“Yeah. We already met up with the other Kage. Gaara is checking on some of the injured, and I came to sit with you.”

Kankuro pulled out some kind of power bar and started eating, “Shikamaru had to do a lot of running around, but he would come check on you when he got a smoke break, which was frequent.” He made a face, “Someone should really get him to stop chainsmoking.”

With a flourish, Kankuro finished his food, “He left the area a little while ago. Naruto is missing, and he’s a part of the squad looking for him,” Kankuro handed Temari a folded piece of paper, “He left this for you and told me to give it to you when you woke up.”

Temari sat up back, taking the square from Kankuro. She opened it, and read Shikamaru’s neat handwriting:

_I’m glad you didn’t die too._

A small smile spread across her face. With extra care, she folded up the paper and stuck it in one of of her pockets. “…Let’s go meet up with Gaara.”

She managed to get to her feet. Kankuro almost started to protest, but she was already out of the door, with him hot on her heels.

* * *

 

Years later, Temari found herself being woken up from a very enjoyable nap by a kiss from Shikamaru, “Wake up, babe. We have to meet Naruto and Hinata in an hour.”

She groaned and nestled into his pillow. It smelled like him, and it gave her butterflies. “Tell them we died and can’t make it.”

He rolled her onto her back, “Sorry. You’re the one who agreed to this double date. This is your punishment.” Shikmaru leaned down and kissed her in the lips.

She returned the smooch, “You try telling Hinata no. She’s too nice.”.

Shikamaru stood upright to put some clothes on, “Yeah, well.” He had nothing else to say to that.

Temari snorted and stretched out on the bed, trying to wake up. “Your bed is so comfortable. It doesn’t wanna let me get up.”

“I spent a few weeks picking it out. It’s objectively perfect.”

With a grin, Temari rolled over onto her side again, propping her head up with her hand, “Did you make another spreadsheet to help you decide?”

He scowled at her, “Make fun of me all you want, but it’s the best way to collect and compare data.”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” she hopped up and went to grab her chapstick out of her purse. Finding it was proving to be difficult. In irritation, she dumped the contents of her purse on his bed, not even noticing the worn, folded up piece of paper that had fallen in the ground until Shikamaru had it in his hand.

“What’s this,” he asked before opening it.

“That’s–!” Temari went red in the face before trying to grab it out of his hands.

He put it out of her reach, tilting his head up so he could read it while keeping it away from her. A look of realization crossed his face. “This is that note I left you after the war…”

Temari was so embarrassed, she couldn’t say anything.

Shikamaru looked at her, eyes soft, “You kept it after all this time?”

“Of course. I love you, and it meant a lot to me..”

“You never struck me as the sentimental type.”

“I’m not, except when it comes to certain things.”

He said nothing to that. Carefully he folded up the piece of paper, placed it on the desk behind him. Before Temari could get it back, he pulled her into a tight hug.

“I love you, you sentimental woman.”

“I love you too, you big lazy oaf.”

She pulled back and kissed him right on the mouth, “I need to get ready, sweetheart.”

“Not yet.” He pulled her face close and kissed her again, and one more time for good measure, “Now you can,” he smiled at her.

“You big softie,” she teased

“Don’t tell anyone that, it’ll destroy my cred as an aloof asshole.”

“Your secret is safe with me. Now let me get ready.”

It didn’t take her long to put clothes on. As they left, Shikamaru pulled her into yet another hug.

“Someone is huggy today.”

“Can’t I hug my beautiful girlfriend? Damn….”

Temari rolled her eyes and laced her fingers with his. Naruto was going to give her heartburn, but Shikamaru was there, and he loved her, and that made it okay.


End file.
